Valve



Patented Nov. 11, 1952 OFFICE VA E L. Raymond Twyman, Bloomfield Township, Oakland County, Mich.

Application May 11, 1946, Serial No. 669,159

This invention relates to valves. The invention is more particularly concerned with valves utilizing a flexible wall for the purpose of opening and closing a passage.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a valve of flexible material such as rubber or the like in which the opening of the fluid passage through the valve is obtained entirely by flexing action and in which no relatively movable sliding or abutting rigid parts are used at the actual surfaces where fluid flow is controlled by the valve. Substantially all valves as heretofore constructed, with the exception of tube compressors, have utilized two or more relatively movable rigid parts and have necessitated the provision of some means for permitting such relative movement without permitting the passage of fluid at the point where the inner member projects through'the outer member. The packings, flexible diaphragms, etc., which have been used forthis purpose are in many cases short-lived and, if not short-lived, are relatively expensive.

The present invention provides a valve in which the controlling passage is opened and closed without necessitating any relatively movable rigid parts which are in contact with the fluid being controlled thus eliminating the necessity for packing and the like. Another object of the present invention is to provide a valve of this character which is exceedingly inexpensive, simple to construct, install and replace, and easily operated and which has a relatively long, useful life. a

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a valve of this character which when closed is automatically self-sealing under the action of applied fluid pressure.

Another object is to provide a valve of this general character in which the valve may be opened and closed with a snap action efiect.

It is also an object to provide a valve in which interference with the operation of the valve by reason of accumulated deposits, corrosion and erosion may be materially decreased.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention willbe apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accom- 6 Claims. (Cl. 251-122) Figure 3 is a view corresponding to Figure 1 showing the valve in the open position.

Figure 4 is a view corresponding to Figure 2 showing the valve in the open position.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of a toilet tank incorporating a; valve as illustrated in Figures 1 through 4.

Referring first to Figure l, the valve comprises a one-piece hollow member In formed of rubber or other material having. flexible and elastic characteristics. The'member I0 is shaped somewhat as a hemisphere with a cylindrical extenpanying drawing wherein a preferred form of V sion at its lower end. As seen in cross section in Figure 2, however, it is provided with an exteriorly-concave wall portion l2, the inner surface of which is convex and may be of uniform thickness as shown, or may be of tapering thickness. The wall I2 is pierced by a longitudinal slit M, the side walls of which normally contact one another.

"The lower portion of the member I0 is provided with an inlet passage it which registers with an inlet passage l8 formed in a base block 20. The member I0 may be secured to the base block 20 by anysuitable means, and, in'the form illustrated, the lower portion of the member ID is provided with a flange 22 engaged by a nut 24 which is screwed on to the base block 20.

Referring now'to Figure 5, the valve is shown as adapted for use in an ordinary toilet tank, in which case, the base block 20 is screwed to the upstanding inlet pipe 26. The usual float-arm 28 is provided with a flat enlargement 30 overlying the top of the member ID and is so pivoted that downward movement 0f the float will cause the flat portion 30 to bear on the top of the member ID.

In operation, with the valve in the closed position as shown in Figures land 2, it will be seen that, due to the arched nature of the curved wall portion l2, fluid pressure existing in the interior of member III will tend to bend the wall portion I! to the left as in Figure2. Because of the arch action, this tends to wedge the two side walls of the slit It more firmly into engagement and hence to tightly seal the slit.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, however, when an external force is applied to the top of the member 10 in opposition to fluidpressure, the curved wall portion I2 may be bent to a greater curvature and the slit shortened in the endwise direction. This results in opening the slit in a shape somewhat as shown in Figure 3, thus permitting fluid to pass therethrough'. Upon release of the endwise external force on member III, the curved wall 12 seeks its original position, and thereafter the slit is more tightly closed by the action of fluid pressure as previously described.

It will be noted that as the top of the member I is gradually compressed by the member 30, the first flexure of the curved wall portion I2 will alter the stresses therein without at first opening the slit I 4. When these stresses have increased ,to'thepoint where they just overbalance the pressure stresses created by the fluid pressure inside the member Ill, the slit I4 will open and by admitting pressure fluid therethrough will suddenly unbalance the stresses which have been tending to hold the slit closed so that the slit will open suddenly. As the member I!) is un-{ flexed, a reverse action takes place causing the slit to snap shut during the final movement of the flexing member 30. This provides a snap action which avoids throttling or wire drawing erosion.

It will also be-noted that due =to'the -repeated flexing oftheentirebody member [0 in opera- :tion, any scaleonsimilar deposits which tend to form on-the valve-will be flaked off as rapidly asa-they 'form and that the member being constructed of rubber is not liable to corrosive deterioration.

,While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed'constitutes a preferred form,

it is to beunderstood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of'the claims which follow.

.-What is claimed is as follows:

l. A valve for controllingfluid flow comprising a unitary member formed of a material having flexible and resilient characteristics, said-member having an interiorly convex wall portion provided-with a slit therein and adjacent wall portions which wall portions define an. open ended 4 mounting member has a passage therethrough defining an inlet for the valve.

3. The structure of claim 1 wherein said certain of said adjacent wall portions and said mounting member lie on opposite sides of said concave wall portions.

4. The structure of claim 1 wherein said slit extends substantially parallel to the direction in which, said externally. appliedforce acts.

5. The'structure of claim 1 wherein said certain of said adjacent wall portions and said mounting member lie on opposite sides of said concave wall portions and said slit extends sub stantially parallel to a line joining said certain of. said adjacentwall portions and said mounting member.

6. A hollow valve member formed of a material having flexible and resilient characteristics, said member having an interiorly convex side wall portion provided with a slit therein and adjacentwall portions, whichwall portions define a chamber closed at one end and openat the other,

the open end of said member being-substantially at right angles to said sidewall portion and adapted forattachment to a mountin member, deforming of said convex wall resulting from movement of said closed end wall toward said open end serving to open said slit, the resilience of said member andinternally applied fluid pressures acting to close said slit and holdit closed.

L. RAYMOND TWYMAN.

REFERENCES. CITED The following references are of record in the file-of this patent: I

' UNITED' STATES" PATENTS 

